Chavacano o Chabacano: The Language of Zamboanga City – Lenguaje del Ciudad de Zamboanga

Search for any English or Chavacano words.

Franklin H. Maletsky in 2022 visiting the Alamo in San Antonio, TX.
Frank is the founder of Zamboanga.com and the creator of the chavacano online dictionary. He continues to update the online dictionary since 1997. Frank is a Zamboangueño. Born, raised, and educated in Zamboanga City and still has his roots and business in Zamboanga.

Cuento del dia

Abril 1, 2023: Dia daw este para del maga torpe.

Below is a list of some English words with Chavacano translations with examples used in sentences. Most importantly, you can simply search for any English word in the search window. If there is a chavacano word for it, then it’s page will show or another page with that word being used will be pointed to.

This is an interactive chavacano dictionary site. If you feel like sharing a sentence targeting a specific CHAVACANO word, find the page for that word, and go to the comment section. Enter your comments there. Most importantly, if you know of a chavacano word that is not in this database, then by all means add it in the comment section of this home page. Registration is not needed.

  • Ninguno puede habla que ele el tiene autoridad o poder na lenguaje del chavacano. Todo kita necesita colabora para continua vivi el lenguaje de aton.
    • Nobody can say that he has the authority or power over the chavacano language. All of us need to collaborate so that our language will continue to live.
This picture was taken in Zamboanga City
This picture of the was taken by my nephew, Harry Paul Estrada in Zamboanga City last December 19, 2009.

The carabao is pulling the pajagat or sleigh. The man manages the carabao with the pamitik that he is holding. The big basket on the pajagat is the Canastro. That’s where the cargo goes. The yoke on the back of the neck of the carabao is called the ayugo.

El hombre ta aguanta con el pamitik, conectao na naris del carabao. Dos pitik para manda bira na lao derecha con el carabao. Y un halada para manda por escerda. El carabao ta hala con el pajagat. El canastro ensima del pajagat. El dalaydayan del pajagat conectao na ayugo na tangkugu del carabao. El pandiit amo aquel na pescuezo del carabao. Aguantao quel na ayugo.

Many zamboangueños pronounce the letters “V” as “B” , the “F” as “P” and the “Z” as “S”. However they may say “chabacano” but they will write it as “chavacano”, they’d say “prio” but they will write it down as “frio” or say “crus” but correctly write it down as “cruz“.

  • This comes out of the mouth of a Chavacano person: “Yo si Bictor Palcatan Crus. De samboanga yo y chabacano mi lenguaje.”
  • If he writes it down, it will look like this: “Yo si Victor Falcatan Cruz. De Zamboanga yo y chavacano mi lenguaje.”

The word CHAVACANO is only as old as the chavacano language itself. The word Chavacano is not a spanish word. The people of Zamboanga “coined” the word.

Man ayudahan kita para el lenguaje chavacano di aton ay hinde mori. Ayuda mantene con este diccionario, el mas mejor chavacano diccionario na entero mundo.






Chavacano History: Read about the history of the Chavacano Language: READ ON

Below is a list of Chavacano and English words in Alphabetical order.

1 2 3 4 … 137

75 thoughts on “Chavacano o Chabacano: The Language of Zamboanga City – Lenguaje del Ciudad de Zamboanga”

    1. :)

      The age of the students at kindergarten are 6 years old.

      El edad del maga estudiante na jardin de infancia es 6 años.

      Reply
  3. :>

    Spring (season) – Primavera
    Summer – Verano
    Principiante – Beginner
    Recrea – To recreate
    Recreación – Recreation
    Caracter – Character

    Reply
  4. :0

    Spring (season) – Primavera
    Summer – Verano
    Principiante – Beginner
    Recrea – To recreate
    Recreación – Recreation
    Caracter – Character

    Reply
    1. :)

      Ta ensaya ele paquemodo conversa Chavacano.
      He’s practicing how to speak Chavacano.

      Ta man ensayo sila paquemodo monta bicicleta.
      They are practicing how to ride a bike.

      Reply
    1. :)

      His own survival was more important.
      Su mismo sobreviviencia es mas importante.

      Twenty people were killed in the violence.
      Veinte gente ya mata na violencia.

      A survivor found on a sinking ship.
      Tiene ya encontra un sobreviviente na un sumido barco.

      Reply
  16. :0

    Cifra – To Cipher
    Siguidor – Follower
    Acento – Accent
    Desarollo – Development
    Desarolla – To Develop
    Afortunado – Fortunate
    A menos que – Unless

    Reply
  20. :0

    Codigo – Code
    Cansancia – Tiredness
    Extraordinario – Extraordinary
    Magico – Magic, Magical
    Creatividad – Creativity
    Fantastico – Fantastical, Fantastic
    Denso – Dense

    Reply
  21. :0

    Sensitividad – Sensitivity
    Acompañamiento – Acompaniment
    Circula – Circulate
    Circulacion – Circulation
    Encircula – To Encircle
    Duun – To press hard
    Contexto – Context
    Ardiente – Ardent, Burning, Glowing, Hot
    Bloquea – To block

    Reply
  22. :0

    Abandonamiento – Abandonment
    Alfabetiza – To Alphabetize
    Alfabetico – Alphabetic
    Consecuencia – Consequence
    Melancholia – Melancholy

    Reply
    1. fhm

      Melancholy and Consequence are already in. The other 3 were added.
      If you have the opportunity to add sentences to the words, it will really be appreciated. All you have to do is search for the chavacano word. Then simply add the sentence as a comment.

      Grande ayuda gayot ese na este diccionario.

      Reply
  31. :0

    Orgasmo – Orgasm
    Organismo – Organism
    Cueva – Cave
    Sistema – System
    Multiplica – Multiply
    Version – Version
    Identifica – Identify
    Estalactita – Stalagmite
    Estalagmita – Stalactite
    Microscopio – Microscope
    Vulcan – Volcano
    Vulcanico – Volcanic
    Simetrica – Symmetrical
    Simetria – Symmetry
    Microbio – Microbe
    Alega – To allege
    Alegao – Alleged
    Alegaomente – Allegedly
    Racista – Racist
    Racismo – Racism
    Vulcaniza – Vulcanize

    Reply
  37. :0

    Alga/s – Alga/Algae
    Amatista/Ametista – Amethyst
    Ansia, Ansiedad – Anxiety
    Caligrafia – Calligraphy
    Catalista – Catalyst
    Cobre o Tanso – Copper
    Consonante – Consonant
    Depresion – Depression
    Duplicado – Duplicate
    Liquen – Lichen
    Onomatopeya – Onomatopoeia
    Server – Servidor
    Trauma – Trauma
    Traumatico – Traumatic
    Traumatiza – Traumatize
    Tropica/l – Tropical
    Vocal – Vowel

    Reply
  38. :0

    Chavacano
    Abanica – To fan
    Accidentalmente – Accidentally
    Analiza – Analize
    Arcoiris – Rainbow
    Artefacto – Artifact
    Arqueologia – Archaeology
    Balisbis – Hillside Slope
    Calamidad – Calamity
    Calamares – Squid
    Calcag – Unkempt hair
    Clarificacion – Clarification
    Clarifica – Clarify
    Combinacion – Combination
    Cucho-cucho – Whispering
    Dagami – Rice Stalks
    Demostracion – Demonstracion
    Diligente – Diligent
    Diligence – Diligencia
    Disconecta – To Disconnect
    Distinto – Distinct
    Distincion – Distinction
    Dramatico – Dramatic
    Economy – Economia
    Economica – Economic
    Economica/l – Economical
    Educa – Educate
    Enemigo – Enemy
    Entertenemiento – Entertainment
    Erupcion – Erruption
    Exprecion – Expression
    Expressa – Experienced, Expressed
    Extinto – Extinct
    Extinccion – Extinction
    Fatal – Fatal
    Fatalidad – Fatality
    Hostil – Hostile
    Humano – Human
    Humilde – Humble
    Idiota – Idiot, Stupid
    Idiomatico – Idiomatic
    Intelligencia – Intelligence
    Intelligente – Intelligent
    Interrupti – Disrupt
    Localiza – Localize
    Localizacion – Localization
    Mina – To Mine
    Minahan – Mineshaft
    Monstruo – Monster
    Monstruosidad – Monstrosity
    Museo – Museum
    Ondura – Depth
    Oposicion – Opposition
    Optimiza – Optimize
    Patetico – Pathetic
    Personalmente – Personally
    Pilla/Pillo – Mischievous
    Poema – Poema
    Poematico – Poematic
    Porcion – Portion
    Preferi – Prefer
    Presion – Pressure
    Privilegio- Privilege
    Profecia – Prophecy
    Profeta – Prophet
    Pronombre – Pronoun
    Quebranta – To Break, To Destroy [an idiom]
    ex. Quiere vos quebranta?
    Sustantivo – Noun
    Suspechoso/Suspechosa – Suspicious
    Tranquilo – Peaceful
    Tratamiento – Treatment, How they treat
    Turismo – Tourism
    Utilidad – Utility
    Utilidades – Utilities
    Utiliza – Utilize
    Verifica – Verify
    Vision – Vision

    English
    Ban – Prohibi, Suspende
    Grin – Ngisi, Sonriza

    Reply
    1. fhm

      Un website lang. Ese otro WIKI se. Ese el original. Mucho palabra ya omenta aqui na modo de WORDPRESS kay ta puede lang dale comento maskin hinde ta registra. Alla na otro bien estricto. Necesita gayot registrao. Pati si no sabe el gente na “WIKI EDIT”, man tormento le.
      Each site has its own search engine. But one can’t look into the other. So I enhanced the search with google search within the site. So now both sites are queried when a search is made. There is only one setback. We have to wait for google to index all the words.

      Reply
  41. :0

    socialize – socializa
    metaphor – metafora
    problematic – problematico
    calculator – calculador
    calculate – calcula
    adventure – aventura
    adventurer – aventurero
    dolphin – delfin
    chin – barbilla
    zone – zona
    eve – visperas
    mischievous – pillo, pilla
    emotional – emocional
    emotionally – emocionalmente
    completely – completamente
    complea – to comply
    normally – normalmente
    visibility – visibilidad
    difficulty – dificultad
    vulnerable – vulnerable
    vulnerably – vulnerablemente
    continually, continuously – continualmente
    convince – convinci
    convinced – convincido
    enemy, foe – contrallo
    to go, stand against – contratajan
    consisti – consist, to tolerate
    null – nulo
    another word for “Vacio” in english – void
    consider – considera
    creation – creacion
    let’s see – aver, ave
    verb – verbo
    conjunction – conjunccion
    preposition – preposicion
    specific – specifico
    psychopathic – psycopatico
    sentilla
    establishment – establecimiento
    to fail, breakdown – falla
    abnormal, failed – fallao
    eternity – enternidad, eterna
    uncountable – incontable
    fabulous – fabuloso
    infinty – infinito
    extravagante – extravagante
    to untie, unfasten, loose, detach unbind – desata
    criticism – criticismo
    criticize – critica
    spirituality- espiritualidad
    eternally – eternamente
    eternal – eternal
    evacuate – evacua
    evacuation – evacuacion
    finally – finalmente
    to notice, to mind, to pay attention, to see – fija
    fidelity – fidelidad
    loyal, faithful – fiel
    generally – generalmente
    genuine – genuino
    alike, equally, likewise, evenly – igualmente

    Reply
  42. :0

    asumi – assume
    teoria – theory
    teoritica – theoretical
    teoritico – theoretic
    narcisista – narcissist
    narcisismo – narcissism
    narcisistico – narcissistic
    alegao, alegaomente – ive heard this words before but i dont know the meaning :/
    asquia – to disgust
    estereotipo – stereotype
    magnitud – magnitude
    longitud – longitude
    cinematografia – cinematography
    cinematografo – cinematograph
    fotografia – photography
    autobiografico – autobiographic
    autobiografica – autobiographical
    constelacion – constellation
    mysterious – misterioso
    misteriousamente – misteriously
    sarcastico – sarcastic
    sarcasmo – sarcasm

    Reply
  48. anon

    in a sentence:

    Necesita gana con el respeto, SOLAMENTE si ele ya hace perde despues ya dale.

    Add solamente
    [adverb] only, solely.

    Reply
      1. :0

        Que – That
        Como – As, Such as
        Ya – Already, Past tense marker

        Pa – Still
        Ta hace pa.
        It’s still in the making.

        Pati – And

        Reply
        1. :)

          anay – first, next; in
          a minute
          gale – oh!, so!, really?
          gani, gane – it is so!;
          well!; even
          justo tu – you’re right
          mientras tanto – meanwhile
          ba – is it?
          jardin de infancia – kindergarten
          endenantes – before
          ya – currently, already, now
          basi (Alternative word for baka) – might, maybe, perhaps, possibly; I wonder
          pa – still, yet
          que – that, which, who, whom
          alegrota – joyful
          creativa (fem), creativo (masc) – creative
          chismis – gossip
          tan chismis – gossiping
          qué(²) – what
          ta – [present tense marker]

          kuan – um…, uh…, what do you call it…
          – used when one
          is unsure of or unable to find the
          correct word or proper way of
          saying something.

          rato – moment
          no? – right?
          Talla tu ya anda compra na tianggue, no?

          hende ba? – isn’t it?
          de nada – it’s nothing, you’re welcome (formal reply to muchas gracias)
          aunque – although
          yunque – anvil
          kaha (Alternative spellings for gaha)
          gat, gad, gayod (Alternative spellings for gayot)

          Reply

Leave a Reply to fhm Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 4 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video, document, spreadsheet, interactive, other. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop file here